PROFESSIONAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
                          February 28, 2001
                                   
PRESENT:  Jim Manning, Jim Mitchell, Clyde Carroll, Vicki Oazem, Carol
          Schmidt, Chuck Lindemenn.

The special Professional Council meeting was held to discuss several
issues with President Gamble.

In response to questions, President Gamble stated that MSU will not
forego salary increases for the coming year.  MSU will work as a
community to decide where money will be saved.  The University needs
to handle it's own affairs, rather than wait to receive adequate
funding from the university.  Sources of additional income include
recruitment and retention of students and private fund raising.

Annual Planning and Budgeting Cycle - President Gamble and Assistant
Vice President Roloff.
     - The handout "Annual Planning and Budgeting Cycle" is available
     on the web at http://www.montana.edu/president, go to bottom of
     page.
     - Most elements of the plan already exist and just need to be
     connected.  Funding needs to be linked to planning.
     - In the past, the decision-making group was small and
     information then filtered down to the rest of the University.
     President Gamble prefers a more bottom-up strategy - all help
     plan and all share responsibility for the decisions.
     - There needs to be internal assessment and external
     accountability.
     - The proposed annual cycle links
     planning/strategies/budgeting/assessment.
     - Existing committees fit well into the new process.  One
     significant new element, the University Planning, Budget and
     Analysis Committee, will be added.  It's responsibility is to
     create a balanced budget (revenues and expenditures, balance of
     programs).  Budget recommendations are sent to the President for
     endorsement.
     - There may be reconsideration of the committee structure,
     depending upon how well it works.
     - The four steps of the cycle were reviewed:
          - There will be annual development and revision of the Long
          Range Plan with priorities for the university identified.
          The LRPC will meet with SPBC to discuss these priorities.
          - SPBC will develop specific action plans, identifying time
          and budget investments and assessment measures.  Strategic
          Initiative Teams may do the work of developing the specific
          plans.
          - UPBAC will develop a budget, using agreed-upon principles.
          Priorities and strategic initiatives will come from SPBC,
          the strategic initiative teams, deans, vps, and other major
          university divisions.  All deans are members of UPBAC,
          because they are not only the decision makers but must also
          be accountable.
          - Assessment will be the final step, as well as the first
          step of the next cycle.  How effective have "investments"
          been?
     - A key element of the process is that members of the committees
     act in the interest of the entire university.
     - Because there are only 90 days until a budget is to be
     prepared, the process will start in the middle of the cycle,
     instead of beginning with the LRPC.  However, the LRPC should
     soon begin working toward the FY03 budget.
     - The goal is that everyone understands the process, not that
     they necessarily agree with all decisions.  There will be a need
     for a lot of communication.
     - There was some discussion of how professional representation is
     chosen for UPBAC.  Should it be from professionals on SPBC or
     LRPC, as proposed, or should the pool be expanded.  Professional
     Council will discuss it further.
     - During the first meeting of UPBAC next week, members will
     discuss how to organize the committee.  General principles for
     making resource allocations must be agreed upon.  There will be
     no budget work until there is agreement upon a framework and
     principles.
     - The following budget process will be used this year:
          - Historical workload and funding will be considered.
          - What performance indicators can be used for each
          department?  That question is to be answered by the
          department.
          - Departments will prepare proposals, based on varying
          levels of budget.  If the university wants to do new things,
          budget reallocation and reduction will have to become a
          normal part of budget planning.
     - Professionals need to be invested in planning for MSU.  All
     employees need to be positive and enthusiastic.  MSU needs to be
     a good place for students and employees.